The Effects of Migration on Child Outcomes in Households at Origin: Evidence from Senegal

Ousmane Faye, CEPS/INSTEAD
Fatou Cisse, Université Cheikh Anta Diop de Dakar

This paper investigates the impact of migration on children activities and demand for schooling in households at origin in Senegal. Using evidence from the 2009 Senegalese household survey on migration and remittances (Enquête Ménage sur la Migration et les Transferts de Fonds), we examines two issues. First, we explore the effects of migration on the occupation of children 12 to 20 years-old, distinguishing between market work, household chores, and school attendance. Thereafter, we focus on the demand for schooling and examine how migration affects high school attendance and persistence. In our analysis, we account for differences in migration constraints distinguishing internal and international migration. We also account for the possibility that unobserved characteristics that may influence both the allocation of children’s time and the decision of migration of a household member.